If you read part one and have been waiting for the follow-up, wait no longer! If you’re just tapping in, I’d recommend that you go back to part one for context! In my previous editorial, I ended off by mentioning our need to put on the Full Armor of God and talking about the need to walk in the Spirit daily as we face challenges. But, before I get into that, I just wanted to say that if you were unaware of how spiritually deep this whole Christian thing is, don’t feel bad. I was once oblivious to how spiritual Christians are called to be. It goes beyond knowing that you’re different and don’t do certain things, it’s about knowing why, on a spiritual level. How things affect you as a Child of God, God who is Spirit (John 4:24), although what comes our way may come by way of the flesh. No matter what type of experience we have, be it physical, emotional, or even mental, they all affect us spiritually. You might think that I’m being too deep when I say this, but it’s true, and when you look at 2 Corinthians 10:3-5 you’ll understand why.
For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh. For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds,- casting down arguments, and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ. If we believe that God’s word is truth, then we must believe that although we walk in flesh, we don’t war according to the flesh. We feel, fight, and function in the flesh, but God, who is Spirit, created us to be temples of the Holy Spirit (1 Cor. 6:19); which means that we should walk daily with our spiritual composition in mind. People who don’t believe in God are aware that your spirit is important, but they go about it the wrong way. They speak mantras and affirmations, they know all about their ‘spirit guides’ and chakras, burning sage and wearing crystals, all in order to keep their spirit “healthy.” But they don’t have God. Non-believers (and dare I say some believers), do all of this and it only leads to some form of idolatry; but you, dear Christian, have the Almighty, All-Powerful, Most High God on your side and have underestimated the need to walk in the consciousness of your spirituality as a child of God.
This battle started in the heavenly realms, a realm we’re connected to by the Spirit. So, we must operate spiritually, as much as we operate in the physical, perhaps more often than not. So, what does this look like? On a day-to-day, I’d say it looks like fruitfulness. This fruit ripens and never rots. The fruit of the Spirit is essential to our everyday lives as believers. It sets us apart and shows others the character of God through us. Love, joy, peace, long-suffering (patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control (Gal 5:22-23), are all things that God exemplifies and personified through Christ and has given us access to through the gift of the Holy Spirit (Acts 2:38). What helps us to maintain the growth of this fruit is when it’s protected, and guess what, God has given us something vital for our spiritual protection.
Ephesians 6:10-18 talks about putting on the Full Armor of God because we have to be ready to stand in battle at all times. Verse 12 says that we don’t wrestle against flesh and blood, which means that there’s something beyond our physical experience, and as God’s children, we have been equipped to stand against it.
Being girded with truth, wearing righteousness on our chest, walking in the gospel of peace, holding up our faith, with our salvation on our mind, and with the Spirit in hand, God has us prepared for every battle.
Some of you may be fighting battles in your mind, constantly fighting temptation, intrusive thoughts, or negative perceptions of yourself and your life. Some of you may be fighting different types of illness in your body. Maybe it’s your circumstances, leading you to a place to doubt that God is working in your life. Whatever it is, know that these experiences are not being influenced by God (John 10:10), but God has given you a way to overcome each one at its source in the spirit, which will bring a sure victory in the life you can live and see.
The Holy Spirit is in us; it was breathed into man because God breathed it into us (Gen. 2:7), it speaks for us if we let ourselves be filled with it (Acts 2:4; Matt. 10:16-20), it’s the means by which God produces fruit in us.
And the Armor of God keeps our Spirit suited up so that we can continue to walk with God daily, no matter what we’re facing. So, yes, Christians, being spiritual is a requirement. A Christian life is THE Spiritual life, and when we accepted Christ, we were given access to our Helper, the Holy Spirit (John 14:26, 15:26). Don’t be ashamed to walk in the Spirit (Galatians 5:16), let what God put in you lead you!
